Door operator



H. M. SNYDER Nov. 10, 1959 DOOR OPERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1957 Fig. 2 INVENTOR.

Harold M. Snyder BY g Hi5 A/forn Nov. 10, 1959 I H. M. SNYDER 2,912,237

- DOOR OPERATOR Filed June 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

L Harold M, Snyder L2 ZMRS. 2

His Alto/n ey United States Patent 2,912,237 DooR OPERATOR Harold M. Snyder, Springfield, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application June 6, 1957, Serial N0. 664,094 2 Claims. (Cl. 268-74 This invention relates to door operating mechanism and more particularly to power operated door mechanism for a cabinet or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a kitchen cabinet with a door that is movable to a position wherein the entire access opening of the cabinet is exposed and wherein the door is operated to its open position by a power driven door actuating mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism for the door of a cabinet wherein the mechanism is driven by an electric motor and wherein the door is moved from a closed position to an open posi tion and back to a closed position by rotation of the motor in one direction. I

Still another object is to provide a power driven door operating mechanism including a power source and a door driving member, there being a one-way clutch interposed between the power source and the driving member whereby the driving member is free to move in one direction relative to the output member of the power source.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

Inthe drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a kitchen cabinet having a door that is operated by the door operating mechanism of this invention; 7

Figure 2 is a vertical elevational view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the door of the cabinet in an open position;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is an electric circuit diagram for the door operating mechanism of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1, a kitchen cabinet generally designated by reference numeral is shown. The cabinet is adapted to be supported at some distance above floor level. The cabinet has spaced sidewalls 11 and 12 at each side of the cabinet, a bottom wall 14, and an access opening 16 that extends entirely across the cabinet. A horizontally arranged shelf 18 is located midway the height of the cabinet and forms the top edge of access opening 16. The space above shelf 18 forms a compartment 20 and the front of this compartment may be provided with suitable doors (not shown) for gaining access thereto. The access opening 16 of the cabinet is normally closed by a door 22 that extends entirely across the cabinet. The door 22 has edges 24 as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The door 22 is shown in its closed position in Fig. 2 and in its open position in Fig. 3. It is noted that in its open position the access opening 16 of the cabinet is completely accessible except for a small area near the top thereof. The door is guided in its opening and closing movement by door support link-s 26 and 28 that swing between sidewalls 11 and 12. The link 26 is pivoted to sidewall '11 of the cabinet at pivot point 38 and is pivoted to the edge 24 of the door 22 at pivot point 32. Similarly, the link 28 is pivoted to sidewall 11 of cabinet 10 and to edge 24 of door 22 at respective pivot points 34 and 36. With this arrangement the door swings upwardly and outwardly when moved to an open position. The opposite side of the cabinet from thatshown in Fig. 3 is provided with links identical with links 26 and 28 for supporting the opposite side of door 22 during its opening and closing movement.

The link 26 is moved upwardly and downwardly around pivot point 30 by a driver link 38 that is pivoted to link 26 at 40. It can be seen that upward and downward movement of link 38 will move the link 26 upwardly and downwardly to move the door between open and closed positions. f

The power driving mechanism for the door linkage just described includes an electric motor 42 having an output shaft 44 to which is fixed a pulley 46. The pulley drives a V-belt 48 which drives a pulley 50 that is connected to an input shaft 52 of gear-box 54. The gearbox 54 has an output shaft 56 that is connected to one side of a one-way clutch generally designated by reference numeral 58. The motor and gear-box are supported by shelf 18. The one-way clutch may be of any wellknown type but preferably takes the form shown in Fig. 4. The one-way clutch shown in Fig. 4 is of the Well-known spring type wherein a first member 60 is fixed to output shaft 56 and wherein a second member 62 is alternately driven by member 60 or rotates relative thereto. The usual wrap-around spring 64 encircles members 60 and 62 and provides the clutching action.

The driver link 38 is pivoted to a crank arm 66 that is bolted to member 62 of one-way clutch 58. The shelf 18 is spaced a sufficient distance from sidewall 12 to form a slot or clearance to permit the passage of crank arm 66 and link 38 therebetween. A cylindrical switch actuating member 68 and a second cylindrical member 70 are located behind crank arm 66 with the member 70 secured thereto. The switch actuator 68 has a pair of cam lobes 72 and 74 which at times engage a switch actuating member 76 to' open normally closed switch 78. The cylindrically shaped member 70 and switch actuating member 68 are held together by screws 69 which pass through 'slots 80 formed in member 70. These slots permit the switch actuating member 68 to be rotated relative to cylindrical member 70 in order to adjust the point of opening of switch 78. The cylindrical member 70 is secured to the crank arm 66 by suitable threaded fasteners 82.

With the above described arrangement rotation of crank arm 66 in a clockwise direction in Figs. 2 and 3 will move driver link 38 to in turn move door 22. In one revolution of driver link 66 the door 22 is moved from a closed to an open position and back to a closed position, as is evident from the drawings. The driver link 38 and link 26 are interconnected by a spring 84 which insures that the mechanism will never stop at dead-center, i.e. at a position wherein the crank arm 66 and driver link 38 are exactly aligned with one another. By the provision of the one-way clutch the spring 84 will always move crank arm 66 out of a dead-center position. It also should be noted that door 22 may be opened and closed manually due to the provision of the one-way clutch 58. Thus, during clockwise rotation of gear-box shaft 56 in Figs. 2 and 3, the crank arm 66 is driven through one-way clutch 58. However, the crank arm 66 may move relative to a gear-box output shaft 56 when the crank arm 66 is moved in a clockwise direction in Figs. 2 and 3. Thus, it can be seen that the door 22 may be opened and closed manually in the event the electric motor 42 should fail or in the event of an electric power failure.

The electric circuit for the power operated door mech anism is illustrated in Fig. 5. The electric motor. is connected in series with a manually operable switch 85 and is connected in series through this switch with power input lines L and L A second solenoid operated switch 86 is connected in series with the electric motor 42 and line L The switch 236 is pulled to closed position whenever relay coil 88 is energized. The relay coil 88 is connected in series with cam operated switch 78 that is moved to an open position by switch actuator 70 that rotates with the electric motor.. It should be noted that the switch 78 is only opened momentarily when the door reaches its fully open position or its fully closed position. As the door moves in to its fully open position or its fully closed position, the switch is tripped open but then immediately. closes.

Assuming, now, that the door is in a closed position, with the switch 78 also in a closed position, an operator desiring to move the door to an open position manually closes switch 85. The closure of switch completes a circuit through relay coil 88 which pulls the switch 86 to a closed position. A circuit is then completed for the electric motor via line L switch 86, through motor 42 and via line L The electric motor being energized starts to move the door toward an open position. As the door reaches an open position the switch 78 is opened by one of the cam lobes '74, thus deenergizing relay and opening switch 86. The circuit to the electric motor 42 is then broken and the door stops in its fully open position. switch. 78 and the switch immediately closes after the motorhas been deenergized. The switch 85 need only be momentarily closed to bring about this operation due.

in moving from The cam actuator 68 momentarily opens .the.

a driver link located in a plane parallel to said: first link.

and pivoted to said first link intermediate the ends there'- of, an electric motor, a power output shaft connected with said electric motor, a crank arm connected. to said output shaft and pivotally connected to said driver link, said driver link and crank arm being'located parallel to one another and overlapping one another during rotation of said output shaft, and a spring connected between said first link. member and driver link tending to movesaid driver link and crank arm out of alignment. with one another when said links are in an aligned position.

2. Door. actuating mechanism comprising, an electricv motor,.a rotatable power outputshaft drivingly connected with saidelectric motor, a crank member connected with said output shaft, a driver link pivoted to said crank arm adjacent the outer end thereof, a door support link pivoted to a fixed member, said driver link and a door for mov. ing saidv door, said crankmember, driver link and sup-.

port linkall being located in parallel planes and said crank member and. driver linkoverlapping one another duringrotation of said crank member, and a spring connected between said driver link and said support link I tending .to move said driver link andcrank arm out of alignment with one another when said crank armand driver link are in an aligned position.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 538,015 Doriot Apr.-23, 1895 1,417,173 Kaiserrnan May 23, 1922 1 1,635,758 Lemon July 12, 1927 1,839,045 Moray: Dec, 29,1931 1,842,708 Barnes Jan. 26, 193 2 1,931,404 Clussrnan Oct. 17,-1933 1,967,346 Barnby July 24, 1934" 2,214,229 Frasch Sept. 10, 1940 

